Pa. budget winner: More money for aid for those with intellectual disabilities, lyme disease

Feb. 06--At a glance: The Health and Human Services Department would get $12.6 billion, an increase of about 2.4 percent under Gov. Tom Wolf's budget proposal. Closely-related programs, including services for the aging, would get small boosts or stay about the same.

What it means: The big item is a proposed increase of about $100 million toward services for people with intellectual disabilities including autism. This funding would, among other things, take 100 people off the emergency waiting list and give them waivers to pay for services, give 965 people supports intended to help them continue to live in their home communities, and give waivers to another 800 people to support them living with their families or nearby.

The proposed budget also includes $2.5 million toward carrying out some of the recommendations of a Lyme disease task force, with the money focused on areas including awareness, prevention and surveillance.

The proposed budget for the Department of Aging is $505 million, down about 5 percent. However, some of the decrease is the result of services that were moved to the department of Health and Human Services.

The Health Care Cost Containment Council, which produces reports focusing on the cost and quality of health care in Pennsylvania, would get $3.6 million, up from about $2.8 million.

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